In the week since Houston ISD released an outside report that called for sweeping changes to magnet schools, parents have protested, principals have noted inaccurate data and Superintendent Terry Grier and trustees have worked to distance themselves from the proposal.

The report, commissioned by Grier and the school board, suggested eliminating funding for 55 magnet programs and ending free busing for many students who transfer to the campuses.

Grier and the trustees have yet to release a counterproposal, saying they first want to hear from parents. But in interviews and public meetings last week, they dropped hints about the ideas they do — and don't — support. Grier also has acknowledged that some of the popular schools deemed too crowded to continue their magnet programs might not be too full after all, according to the principals.

This much is clear: The proposal from Magnet Schools of America, released a week ago, will not become HISD's new master plan.

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"From the very beginning, we said that we can either adopt some, all or none of it," said outgoing school board president Greg Meyers. "Clearly, after seeing it, we're not going to adopt all of it."

But that's not a guarantee the magnet schools will be spared budget cuts.

"I'm not trying to take away success," said newly elected board president Paula Harris. "But could people lose money? I think the opportunity to lose money is definitely there."

The Houston Independent School District is under increasing pressure to cut its $1.6 billion budget amid a projected shortfall in state funding. The district spends about $16 million a year on its 113 magnet programs, excluding transportation. Cutting the 55 programs the consultants suggested would save nearly $7 million, according to a Houston Chronicle analysis.

The extra money HISD awards its magnet schools varies widely. Herrera Elementary, a magnet focused on technology, gets $15,000 annually, for example, while Carnegie Vanguard High School - a nationally recognized campus for gifted students - gets $389,881, according to HISD.

Prinicpals disagree

Among the most controversial proposals is eliminating magnet programs at coveted campuses - such as Bellaire, Lamar and Westside high schools - that the consultants said were out of space. Some principals, however, counter that the formula used to calculate their schools' capacity was misleading and their campuses are not, in fact, overcrowded.

"Several of the principals have called and e-mailed me and said, 'Wait a minute, the numbers that they have are wrong. I actually have space,' " Grier said. "That's not a problem. We have always tried to empower our principals. We're going to listen to them in terms of the space they have."

But, Grier added, having some space to draw in more students doesn't necessarily mean there's enough to earn magnet status and get extra funding. "Here is the question for everyone," he said. "How much space should you have at a school to be able to declare yourself a magnet?"

Diversity concerns

The consultants recommended that high school magnet programs have room for at least 100 additional students per grade level and middle schools have at least 75 per grade. They also said that at least a quarter should come from outside the neighborhood.

Dan De León, the principal of Chavez High School, said he disagrees with the report's conclusion that his campus doesn't have the space to continue its varied magnet program, which focuses on environmental science, health sciences and engineering.

"Are we crowded? Yeah," De León said. "Are we overcrowded? Probably not. We don't have classrooms that have overcrowded conditions in them. We don't have our classes meeting in hallways or on stages. We fit."

Another topic troubling several school board members is the report's suggestion that each magnet school reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the district, which is 92 percent minority and 8 percent Anglo. Trustees Mike Lunceford, Harvin Moore and Harris said they prefer to look at diversity based on family income level.

"I felt there was an over-focus on race," Moore said.

A handful of HISD schools receive federal magnet grants, which promote racial rather than income diversity.

Trustee Anna Eastman expressed concerns about ending busing, saying the move would shut out students from some high-performing schools if they didn't live in the neighborhood. (The 20 Vanguard magnet programs, which serve gifted students, would continue busing under the consultants' proposal.)

Grier likes lottery

Grier has declined to comment on proposals for individual schools but has revealed general thoughts.

On the admissions process, Grier said he favors a random lottery, overseen by the district's central office. He said he supports some entrance criteria, such as auditions at the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, but hasn't decided whether the district should continue screening requirements at elementary and middle schools.

Pin Oak Middle, for example, tests students for its foreign language magnet program.

"If we are excluding children from having an equal opportunity to apply and participate in programs, I think we have to stop and question our actions," Grier said.

Some parents have said principals should continue to set their own entrance criteria, while others told the consultants this system was unfair.